So the Beijing Olympics have taken their place in history. And volunteers in the Chinese capital finally can take a break. Foreign Olympic volunteers are getting their opportunity at last, to savour Beijing's local culture.
Tuesday, a group of more than 100 foreign Olympic volunteers visited the newly opened Qianmen Shopping District. They marveled at the elegant old-style buildings and archways. They loved the local Beijing snacks and felt richly entertained by the performances of local folk artists.
While many volunteers came to Beijing for the Olympic Games, most volunteers actually live here. But they have been swept up in regular routines of work or study. And many of them discovered they never had taken the time to appreciate the city. Tuesday's tour was an excellent opportunity to change that.
Following the tour of Qianmen Street, the foreign volunteers arrived at a workshop producing some of Beijing's traditional arts and crafts. Many were amazed at the sheer variety -- ranging from dough figurines to Chinese knots. Everyone had a good time.
(CCTV August 28, 2008)
